Better Choices

Making Healthier, and more Ethical, food choices

According to the American Dietetic Association “It is the position of the American Dietetic Association and Dietitians of Canada that appropriately planned vegetarian diets are healthful, nutritionally adequate, and provide health benefits in the prevention and treatment of certain diseases.”

Its report goes on to say that “Vegetarian diets offer a number of advantages, including lower levels of saturated fat, cholesterol, and animal protein and higher levels of carbohydrates, fiber, magnesium, boron, folate, (and) antioxidants such as vitamins C and E, carotenoids, and phytochemicals.”

The report also notes that vegetarian diets result in a much lower incidence of obesity, lower cardiovascular disease, lower rates of hypertension and lower rates of Type 2 diabetes. It is reported that those who consume meat have a 54% increase in rates of lung, breast, uterine and stomach cancer and an 88% increase in colorectal cancer. The study also reports that proteins from meat consumption result in an increased excretion of calcium, thus resulting in a higher rate of osteoporosis. Additionally, meat consumption can worsen existing kidney disease and those who consumed meat are twice as likely to develop dementia. http://www.vrg.org/nutrition/2009_ADA_position_paper.pdf